Have you ever been told you have to wait an hour to swim after eating? Or that chlorine turns your hair green? We’ve all heard swimming pool myths, and, without the right information, we believe them to be true! Some of the most common things we think we know about swimming pools are, in fact, false. Here are the most common swimming pool myths and the truth behind them.
Swimming Pool Myths
#1: Chlorine turns hair green
False! Chlorine is not the culprit here, it’s copper! Copper sulfate is an ingredient found in algaecides. The oxidized metals in the pool water attach to the proteins in the hair shaft. The green color that results is most apparent in those with blonde (especially artificially bleached) hair but brunettes’ area also affected. While chlorine is not the bad guy here, it can damage your hair making it dry and brittle. To combat both of these effects, wet and condition your hair before going swimming. If you do end up with a green tint in your hair, don’t worry, it can be removed with a clarifying shampoo which strips the color from the hair.
#2: Swimming right after eating causes cramps
Semi-true. While jumping in right after you finish your meal doesn’t directly cause a cramp, the body’s digestive process may. When your stomach digests food, more blood flows to your stomach to aid in the digestion. This decreases the amount of blood going to the rest of your muscles and, if they are overworked, they may cramp up. However, this is highly unlikely and there is no scientific evidence that proves this to be totally true. Just in case, keep your meals light and try to refrain from practicing for the swim team tryouts right after eating.
#3: Blue dye urine detector
False! We’ve all heard it before – there’s a special dye that can be added to pools that will turn blue when it interacts with urine. So, if you pee in the pool, everyone will know! Well, friends, this is in fact a myth. There is no such dye and it would be nearly impossible to produce as there would be no way to prevent it from reacting to all the other chemicals in the pool. Be forewarned though – when dehydrated, urine is very yellow, which may be noticeable to others near you in the pool. The best solution is to get out of the pool and use the bathroom if you have to go.
#4: Chlorine causes red eyes if you open your eyes under water
False! This is also not chlorine’s fault. An unbalanced pH level in the pool water will cause it to become too acidic, causing burning or stinging and red eyes after opening them under water. The pH of your pool water should be maintained at 7.2-7.6. So if you’re eyes are red after swimming, check the water’s pH, balance it and no one will have to worry about burning red eyes after swimming.
#5: If you can smell it, there’s too much chlorine in the pool
False! It’s exactly the opposite, in fact. When the chlorine in your pool attaches to bacteria, sweat, and oils in the water, it creates chloramines. When a pool is shocked, these chloramines turn into oxygen and are released into the air. Since the chlorine is in the air and not in the water, you are able to smell it. Good news is when you do smell the chlorine, it means it’s done its job. It also means you probably need to add more chlorine to the water as it’s no longer in the water doing its job.
#6: Saltwater pools do not have chlorine
False! This is one of the biggest myths out there. A saltwater pool is not, in fact, a chlorine free pool. Saltwater pools draw on dissolved salt to create chlorine. The saltwater passes over a metal cell and the chemical reaction, caused by electrolysis, produces chlorine. This process simply utilizes a chlorine generator instead of depending on other forms of chlorine being added.
Pools by Bradley is Here for YOU
All of us here at Pools by Bradley live and breathe our mission of designing and building your ultimate outdoor pool atmosphere. We also want to provide as much education to our clients as possible! We intend to inspire you to improve the recreational time you spend with your family and friends in your new outdoor environment. Our motto is “take care of the customer and everything else will take care of itself”. When you choose Pools by Bradley to help you build your dream pool, you can rest assured that you’re choosing the very best. As a local family owned and operated company founded in back 1996, we have received numerous design awards and honors. Pools by Bradley is rated as one of the top 50 pool builders in the U.S., plus recognized as the “Best Pool Company” in Orlando by Orlando Magazine several years in a row! We offer custom built pools and spas with additions ranging from water features and lighting effects to rain curtains and water slides…the sky’s the limit! Contact us online or call us today at 407-323-7946 (Lake Mary) or 386-410-7946 (NSB) to see how we can help you build the pool of your dreams!
